Hydropower generating machine



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N. E, DELL HYDROPOWER GENERATING MACHINE jam 2%, WE.

Filed Sepwb. 13, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 26, 1932 PATENTOFFICE NORMAN EUGENE DELIB, OIE BUFFALO, NEW YORK HYDROE'DWER GENERATINGMACHINE Application tiled September 13, 1930. Serial No. 481,784.

My invention relates to improvements in hydro-power generating machines,and the object of my invention is to devise a machine comprising asubmersible chamber contained 'within a body of water and adapted tolower and raise itseli' in such body of water through the alternativeadmittance oi water and air into the chamber.

il Afurther object of my invention is to posil@ tion a reciprocablepiston within the chamber through the movement ot which water and air isalternatively admitted to the chamber, and to utilize a hydraulic rammechanism tor actuating the piston, the power tor l actuating such rammechanism being supplied independently of the downward and upwardmovement of the chamber in the body ci water.

My invention consists of a hydro-power generating device all ashereinafter more particularly described and illustrated in theaccompanying' drawings in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal verticalcross sectional view through a water containing tank and my machine, thewater not being shown in order to avoid confusion in the drawings,

Figure 2 is a vertical cross sectional View taken through line 2-2,Figure 1, my mechanism being shown at the upper end ot its travel, and

Figure 3 is a plan view of a fragmentary portion oi' my mechanism.

Like characters oi reference indicate the corresponding parts in thedifferent views in the drawings.

The container 1 illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 is preferably imbedded inthe ground, and can be of any desired area or depth dependent upon thesize oit' my mechanism contained therein.

l'n practice it will be found desirable to construct the container ofmuch greater depth than that shown in the drawings, in order that mymechanism may have a considerable length of travel in its upward anddownward movement.

ift is to be understood that the container as illustrated in Figures 1and 2 is oli course lillcd with water up to a close vicinity of its lillupper edge, although I have not shown such tank as filled in thedrawings in order to avoid obscurity.

ln the vicinity ot' the ends of the container l and contained-withinsuch container, I position a pair of standards 2 which support aplurality of horizontally extending hydraulic ram cylinders 3, the rams4in the cylinders or" each standard 2 support a substantiallyrectangular trame 5. By this construction a pair of trames 5 areprovided, such trames 5 having a horizontal reciprocable movement underthe reciprocal movement of the hydraulic rams ll.

l have not illustrated, nor will speciiicallyy describe any particularhydraulic pump mechanism for actuating the rams, as it will be readilyappreciated by those conversant with up-to-date hydraulicmechanics thata hydraulic high pressure pump actuated by an electric motor or othersuitable power generating means can now be supplied in which greathydraulic pressures can be exerted in comparison to the horsepower ofthe powergenerating means actuating the pump. The hydraulic ramcylinders 3 are connected to such a pump mechanism by the iiuid pipes 6.

Centrally between the inner 'faces of the iframes 5, l position abattery oi' cylinders or chambers, Y. ln the drawings twelve cylindersare shown, these cylinders facing each trame 5. Each cylinder contains apiston 8 secured to a piston rod 9 which projects through an orilice 10in the head plate 1,1 ot each cylinder.

The cylinders are contained within a pair ci trames 12 which surroundeach section ot the cylinders, andthe inner facing ends oi" thecylinders in the sections are secured together and positioned by aplurality of saddle plates 13. The inner ends oi the cylinders are open,collars 11i being furnished. The outer ends oi the piston rods 9 areconnected to a pair ot plates 15 which are provided with brackets 1Gupon their corners and containing running wheels 17 which extend intochannel shaped tracks 18 positioned longitudinally to my mechanism andcarried upon the upper and lower faces ot the frames 12.

From this description it will be seen that the plates 15 together withthe outer ends of the piston rods 9 are rollably supported by the tracks18 for reciprocable movement. The plates 15 are in turn connected to theframes by a plurality of brackets 19 which are mounted upon the outerfaces of the plates 15 and carry rollers 2O which engage the forward`and rear faces of the vertical edges of `n-ecting rod 22 by meansofwhich the upward and downward movement of my mechamsm is harnessedmany required manner. The sides orFV the tank 1 areprovided upon theirinner faces with vertical tracks 24 into which running wheels 25 mountedupon the sides of the frames 12 extend.

For admitting air into the cylinders or chambers 7 under the reciprocalmovement of the pistons '8 I furnish breather -pipes 23 which areconnected to the cylinders through the head plates 11.

The operation of my device is as Vfollows Assuming that my mechanism isat the surface of the water as illustrated in Figure 2, the pistons 8will be at the opposite ends o-their strokes to that illustrated inFigure 1, in other words the water will have been expelled from thecylinders through their open ends and air contained within the cylindersbetween the head plates 11 and the pistons, such airv of course beingadmitted through the breather pipes 23. The

movement of the pistons-into vthis position from the positionillustrated in Figure l has been accomplished through the forward orinward movement of the frames 5, plates 15, piston rods 9 and pistons 8under the pressure movement of the hydraulic rams f1 in the cylinders 3.Y

When my mechanism has reached the surface of the water wherein thepistons 8 are at the outer end of their strokes as explained in thepreceding paragraph, .the hydraulic rams are moved inwardly to theirinitial position illustrated in Figure 1, therebyfmoving the frames 5,plates 15, piston rods 9 and pistons 8 in the corresponding directionsso that the air in the cylinders is expelled through the breather pipes23 and water admitted through the open ends of the cylinders. As soon asthis occurs the mechanism will immediately sink, the rollers 20 upon thebrackets 19 rolling down-the sides of the rames, and the rollers 25 onthe frames 12 rolling down the tracks 24.

When the mechanism reaches the bottom of the tank the hydraulic rams 4are again actuated, theactuation of such rams being drawings I haveshown my device of limited pressure will be required when my mechanismis at the surface of thewater in order to move Vthe pistons to expel theair from the cylinders to admit the water, .as the only power requiredwill be that necessary to overcome the friction oit-the pistons withinthe' cylinders. `When the mechanism is submerged greater hydraulicpressure will be necessary in order toV move the pistons forwardlyagainst the water pressure for the admittance of air. Y

It will be understood thatalthough in the size and Vform it can be soconstructed that the mechanism-can be submerged toa considerable depthand made sutiiciently buoyant when submerged through a comparativelysmall hydraulic pressure, that a tremendous buoyancy pressure may beproduced upon the expulsionV of the water from the submerged cylindersand although I have shown and described a particu'laruembodiment of myinvention, it is to be understood that I can make such changes andalterations as I may' deem necessary from time toy time withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention as set forth in the appendedclaims.

' What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a hydro-power generating machine of the character described, asubmersible cylinder contained within a body of water and adapted toalternately iioatand submerge, a piston reciprocablein the cylinder, aclosure 11G for one of the cylinders, `an air breather Ypipe connectedto the closed end of the cylinder, and means actuated independently ofthe upward and downward movement oi the cylinrder for reciprocating thepiston within the` cylinder.

,and members rollahly connected tothe -frames for-vertical movement 'andto which 130 tbe outer ends of the piston rods are 0011- nected.

3. ln a hydro-power generating machine of the character described, aplurality of op- 5 posed horizontally extending submersible cylinderscontained Within a body of Water and adapted to alternately Hout andsubmerge, e frame in which the cylinders are contained, a closure forone end of each cyll0 inder, n piston reciprocable in each cylinder, :ipiston rod extending from each piston to tbe exterior of its cylinder,an air breather pipe connected to the closed end of each cy1- inder, epair of reciprocable frames subi* merged in tbe Water, hydraulic ramsfor reciprocating the frames, members rollably connected to the framesfor vertical movement and to which tbe outer ends of the piston rods areconnected, and tracks mounted upon the frame containing tbe cylindersand upon which the members are rollably supported,

NORMAN EUGENE DELL.

